Journal of Thoughts
by Symphonic Madness
Summary: While wandering the halls of the Fire Nation Palace, she stumbles upon a book of illustrations and thoughts by our favorite firebender. Credit for the idea of Zuko having a sketchbook goes to the original author. May make it a full length story. Review if you want that to be the case.


_Three Years After the War's End_

Things have been going better than I thought they would. After a painful and mutual breakup with Mai, Zuko was left with a broken heart about a year after the end of the war. I decided to stay behind on a visit to the royal palace to comfort him. For awhile, Aang didn't get the message that I didn't want to be with him romantically anymore; giving me invitations to travel with him as he goes about the world doing his Avatar duties. He eventually got the message, and let me stay with Zuko without hassle. Now, I inhabit the palace as the only live-in ambassador for both of the Water Tribes.

I eat dinner with Iroh and Zuko every night, and the lifestyle makes me happy. There are training grounds that Zuko had water put into so I can practice my bending. He and I will often sit by the turtleduck pond and talk about our pasts. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry, and other times, we'll just feed the turtleducks in silence.

Right now, Zuko is in a council meeting that I chose to sit out of, and I'm wandering the halls of the palace. I see Zuko's chamber door slightly ajar, and I remember I wanted to give him a letter from Aang to him that was given to me by mistake. But when I set the scroll on his bed, I see a book with the word "thoughts" written on it.

But hwne I open the book, I see a drawing done in ink. It's of me. I'm bending the water in my underbindings, and I look incredible. I turn the page, and on the back of the drawing is a paragraph in Zuko's handwriting.

_She's so beautiful. Her grace is like the water itself; she's smooth, elegant, and more beautiful than any woman I've ever come into contact with. Mai can't compare to her. Katara is a goddess in every way, shape, and form. She gives new meaning to the word "stunning". I only wish those tan arms could be wrapped around me instead of that airbending kid. Katara deserves to be with someone who would be willing to give everything to be with her. And by definition the Avatar can't do that. I can, though. I can give her everything she needs, wants, and more. I want to do that. I want her to be mine and mine alone. If a woman like Katara felt the same way about me, I'd treat her like the goddess she is._

I'm brought to tears by the illustration and paragraph. I continue staring at the pages and softly crying until I hear a voice.

"Katara?" Zuko says.

"Sorry. I was invading your privacy and I feel awful about it," I say.

"No," he says, surprising me as he comes over to the bed and sits down beside me. "This notebook was something I'd been meaning to show you for a long time. I just haven't gotten the courage to do it yet. So I left it here for you to find."

"Zuko, this is beautiful," I say.

"You haven't even seen the other drawings and thoughts," Zuko tells me.

He flips the page, and there is a drawing of us in a passionate kiss and embrace. He flips the page again and I read the description.

_If only my fantasies could come true. Maybe then, I would find a little thing called happiness, which has been evading me for far too long._

I look at him and he smiles. "Keep looking. I'll be right back. I've got to grab something."

I flip through the pages of the journal, viewing the various poems, drawings, and thoughts within it until I see Zuko stand in front of me. He smiles and takes my hand in his before kissing it gently.

"Go to the last drawing," he says.

I do as he says, and what I see makes my eyes widen. It's a sketch of him standing proudly behind me as I cradle a child in my arms while a toddler pulls on Zuko's robes. The drawing is in simple charcoal, and scribbled on the bottom is a caption that nearly brings me to the floor.

_Katara will be an excellent mother, and our children will be as stunningly beautiful as she is._

Zuko gets down on one knee and presents me a black cloth. He unfolds the cloth, and in the cloth is a necklace with a blue pendant connected to red silk by a tiny gold clasp.

"Marry me, Katara?" he asks.

I had always fantasized about marrying Zuko, and had even hoped for it when I decided to stay with him instead of Aang, but I never thought it would happen. I have no choice but to say the answer I'd been wanting to give for so long.

"Yes," I say. "I will marry you, Fire Lord Zuko."


End file.
